Ticket-dispensing machine.



IE. MAGIDSON. TICKET DISPENSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.13, 19131,098,531 3, Patented June 2,1914.

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L I l {Q INVENTOR WITNESSES LOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 10.. WASHINGTON, D.'C.

F. MAGIDSON.

TICKET DISPENSING MACHINE. APPLIOATICN FILED AUG. 1a. 1913.

1,098,91 3, Patented June 2, 1914.

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, COLUMBIA PLANOQRAPH ca..WAsmN0'roN, D. e

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MAGIDSON, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TOMAX SCI-IAFFEL, 0F BRADIDOCK, PENNSYLVANIA.

TICKET-DISPENSING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK MAGIDSON, a citizenof the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Ticket-Dispensing Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple, accurate,and highly ellicient machine for dispensing strip tickets at places ofamusement, traction stations, soda fountains, etc, the machine beingpreferably constructed to deliver one or a plurality of tickets at eachoperation, and thereby greatly facilitating the work over the presentgeneral method of dispensing one ticket at a time regardless of thenumber wanted by a single purchaser.

A further object is to provide for dispensing tickets from a pluralityof strips, with operating mechanism adapted thereto interchangeably,whereby tickets differing in price may be handled by the same machine,or whereby when tickets of only one price are sold, a fresh spool mayalways be in reserve and ready for use, avoiding delay at rush hoursincident to inserting a new spool. The improved mechanism is adapted tobe embodied in the counter or window shelf of a ticket booth, theoperating handle projecting from the top surface and within convenientreach. The handle is also readily removable, and if removed,surreptitious delivery of tickets is rendered impossible.

The novel mechanism embodying the foregoing and many other featurescharacteristic of the improved machine, are fully described and claimedherein, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1is a top plan View of the improved machine, showing the operating handleat the completion of its return movement and ready for anotheroperation. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 5.Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional plans taken on lines 33 and l-4-,respectively, of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section takenon line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of a portion of the machine casing. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.Fig. 8 is a detail perspective, partly in section, of the ticket stripsupporting table and actuating chain. Figs. 9 and 10 are sectionaleleva- Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Julie 2, 1914.

Application filed August 13, 1918. Serial No. 784,495.

tions of portions of the mechanism taken on hncs 99 and 10-10respectively.

Referring to the drawing, 2 designates a rectangular base plate whichforms the bottom of a box-like casing in which the mechanism isinclosed, and rising from three corners thereof are posts 3 of likeform, and from the fourth corner a post 4:. Secured to the upper ends ofthese posts by screws 5 is the casing top plate 6 which is preferablyextended at opposite sides at 6 for supporting the mechanism on acounter or shelf 7 at the window of a ticket selling booth or ofiice.Top plate 6 is formed with an opening 8 which extends forwardly from itsrear end, said opening being closed by a plate 9 which rests 011 strips8 secured to the under side of plate 6. The rear wall 10 of the casingis hinged to turn outwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and atthe top edge of said hinged end is the angular lip 11 which closes therear end of opening 8 and overhangs plate 9 and confines the latter inplace. Interfitting projections and recesses 9 on plate 9 and in thefront end wall of opening 8 secure the front end of the plate againstupward movement without, however, interfering with sliding the plate ina backward direction when casing end 10 is opened. The ticket strips maybe observed through a glass panel 12 in plate 9 as they are fed forwardprogressively to the delivering slots 13, in manner presently to bedescribed. Casing end 10 may be held closed by hook latches 14. Theopposite sides of the casing may be closed by plates 15 and the front bya plate 15, said plates being secured to posts 3 and 4.- as shown.

Beneath top plate 6 and partially exposed through glass panel 12 is atable 16 supported on posts 16 and having its top formed with thelongitudinal chain confining and guiding grooves 17, opposite ends ofthe grooves being cut through at 17 so that the front and rear sprocketwheels 18 and 19, respectively, may project thereinto. Wheels 18 arerevoluble on shaft 20* and wheels 19 are mounted on shaft 21. A sprocketchain 22 extends around each set of wheels 18-19 with the upper courseof the chain supported in one of grooves 17, the latter being slightlydeeper than the thickness of the chain. Projecting from the chain atuniform intervals are pins 23 which enter per forations A betweenadjacent tickets B of a ticket strip C, the latter being wider thangroove 1'7 and moved by the chain over the smooth top surface of table16. The ticket strip is drawn from a spool or coil D which may bearranged in a casing 24:, the strips passing upwardly over curved guide25 into the rear end of groove 17 where each perforation is engaged by achain pin 23, and as the chain is operated, in manner presently to bedescribed, the tickets are passed beneath a bar 26 at the front end ofgroove 17 and upwardly and outwardly through delivery slot 27.

The ticket strip is held to the top surface of the table and inengagement with chain pins 28 by a channeled rod 28, upwardly arched incrosssection to embrace said pins, the front end of the rod beingnotched at 29 to engage a headed pin 29' on bar 26, and at its rear endcarrying the notched cross piece 30 which engages pins 30 at the rearend of table 16. The front end 29 of the rod is first entered beneathpin 29 and the resilient rod is sprung slightly to engage cross piece 30with pins 31, the result being that the rod is securely held but withoutunduly binding the ticket strip. Access to rod 28 may be had by removingplate 9 for the purpose of starting a new spool, etc.

As here shown, the machine embodies two ticket delivering mechanisms towhich the operating mechanism, presently to be described, isinterchangeably adapted, whereby different priced tickets may bedispensed by one and the same machine, or if tickets of only one priceare bein sold, a fresh spool may always be ready for use, avoiding delayincident to inserting a new one. It will be understood, however, thatonly one delivery mechanism or more than two, may be employed withoutdeparting from the invention.

Power is derived from shaft 20 for operating one or the other of chains22, a clutch head 35 being splined and slidable on said shaft betweensprocket wheels 18, the head at either side carrying a spring pawl 36which are adapted to engage one or the other of ratch ts 37 011 theadjacent faces of wheels 18. Clutch head 35 is moved to ward onesprocket Or the other by a clutch shifter comprising a yoke lever 38which is connected to operating lever 39 projecting through a slot incasing end 10.

For operating shaft 20 a pinion 40 on one end thereof meshes with gearwheel a1 secured to vertical stem 4&2, the latter being revoluble instep bearing 43 and guide 43 and operated by the removable crank-ham dle44, the v rtical socket portion 15 there of being entered through anopening in top plate 6 and embracing stem 42, the notched lower endthereof interlocking with pin 42 on the stem. The ticket seller mayreadily remove the operating handle when closing or temporarily leavinghis window, and thus put the machine entirely out of commission. Thehandle may be operated to deliver one or more tickets at a time,avoiding the necessity of repeated operations where a purchaser callsfor more than one. As here embodied, any number up to six may bedispensed by a single operation of the handle, the number beingascertained by a pointer 16 carried by the handle and moving over thescale 17 marked on top plate 6. The arrangement is preferably such thatthe forward throw of the handle rotates the pawl carrying head 35 in adirection to move the active pawl 36 idly over its ratchet 37, thelength of travel of the pawl depending on the number of tickets to bedelivered. The reverse movement of the handle and head 85 results in thepawl imparting positive forward movement to sprocket wheel 18 and to thechain impelled thereby, the extent of such movement correspondingexactly to the total length of the ticket or tickets sold, the latterbeing projected through slot 27.

Mechanism is provided for locking the chain actuating sprocket wheels 18at the completion of each ticket selling operation and for releasing thesame at the beginning of each operation, the length of the deliveredstrip being so accurately determined by the actuating ratchet mechanismand by the locking mechanism that a perforation A between adjacenttickets is always in the plane of the front face of bar 26, with which acutter, presently to be described, coacts when the requisite length ofstrip has been projected, this regardless of whether such projectedportion comprises one ticket or siX.

The locking mechanism consists of a hori- Zontally movable bar 50, oneend of which is secured to a rod 51 which is slidable through bearingpost 52 of shaft 20. A spring 53 interposed between the inner end of rod51 and one of posts 16 opposes inward movement of bar 50 and when thelatter is released tends to move it outward and disengage arms 5%,projecting from bar 50, from pins 55 on sprocket wheels 18. Pivoted tocorner post 4: is arm 56, and depression of this arm is opposed byspring 57. When said arm is raised it holds bar 50 in inward positionagainst the pressure of spring 53 and with arms in the path of pins 55,thereby locking the delivery chains against forward movement. A pin 58on arm 56 extends beneath and engages cam 59 on the under surface ofgear wheel 41, so that at the beginning of the forward movement of theoperating handle arm 56 is depressed, thereby releasing bar 50 andpermitting it to be moved outward into unlocked position under thepressure of spring 53. At the completion of the backward or chainoperating movement of handle M and gear 41 a pin 60 on the latterengages arm 61 projecting from red 51 and returns bar 50 and arms 54into locking position and at the same time permits the spring impelledarm 56 to rise and hold said bar against outward movement. Pin 60 andarm 61 also limit the backward travel of handle 44: and gear wheel 41.The maximum forward movement is defined by stop 62 in the path of pin60, so that in the present embodiment movement in excess of thatrequired for six tickets is impossible. It will be understood, however,that the machine may be arranged to deliver a maximum number either lessor in excess of six. The teeth of ratchet 37 are so spaced relatively tothe movement of pawl 36 and the operating handle that the sprocket chainis never moved less than a ticket length and always moves in ticketlength units.

The ticket severing mechanism consists of a bail-shaped frame whichembraces the front end of table 16, arm 65 thereof being pivoted to thetable at 65, and the transverse bar 66 thereof adapted to bear upwardlyagainst the table-bar 26 and project the strip severing knives 67upwardly over the front face of bar 526 for cutting of the deliveredtickets. A link 68 connects the knife-conveying frame with arm 56 sothat the knives are lowered beneath the path of the tickets and are soheld until at the completion of the ticket delivering operation, arm 56is released, in manner heretofore described, when the knife carrierrises suddenly under the impetus of spring 57 and projects the activeknife through the strip at a perforation A.

The backward or ticket impelling movement of handle 4&1 and theactuating mechanism may be accomplished by the operator, or by means ofa motor, for example, a spring coil 7 0 having its spindle 71 coupled tothe end of shaft 20 at 72, the spring being moved up or contracted bythe rotation of the shaft resulting from the forward movement of thehandle and automatically actuating the mechanism when the handle isreleased.

' Sudden movement and resulting slack may be avoided by gearing a rotarygovernor 73 to spindle 71, as indicated at 74. As no novelty is claimedherein for the motor coil and governor illustration and descriptionthereof in detail is unnecessary.

An adding register 75 may be provided for each delivering mechanism forindicating the number of tickets sold, the same being located in anopening in table 16 with its actuating wheel 76 in the path of lookingpins 55 on sprocket wheel 18. The registers are preferably locatedbeneath top plate 9. If desired, the dial of each regis ter may beobscured by a key locked plate 77, so that if the proprietor desires hemay keep the ticket seller in ignorance of the number of ticketsdispensed. As pins 55 bear absolutely accurate relation to the numwith adepression through which the chain moves and from which the stripengaging devices project, a strip holding rod positioned over andadapted to engage the strip, and means for detachably securing the endsof the rod to the table.

2. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of strip-advancingmechanism, a handle movable a unit distance and multiples of suchdistance, and means operatively connecting the handle andstrip-advancing mechanism for moving the latter a distance correspondingto the unit distance or multiples of such unit distances traveled by thehandle.

3. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of strip-advancingmechanism, a handle movable idly from starting position to stripadvancing position a unit distance and multiples of such distance,mechanism operativelyconnecting the strip-advancing mechanism and handleduring the return movement of the latter to starting position so as tomove said mechanism a unit distance or a multiple of unit distancescorresponding to the first distance traveled by the handle.

4. In a ticket dispensingmachine, the combination of a frame having acounter-like top, a handle rotatable in the top about a vertical axis, apointer movable with the handle and cooperating with a fixed scale, andticket strip-advancing mechanism beneath the counter-like top andoperatively connected to the handle and adapted to be moved by thelatter a distance su'liicient to project the number of tickets indicatedupon the fixed scale by the pointer.

5. In a ticket despensing machine, the combination of ticket-advancingmechanism, a part adapted to rotate with said mechanism, equally spacedstops on said part, a locking device for engaging one or another of saidstops, a spring for moving the looking device out of stop engagingposition, and actuating means for the strip-advancing mechanism adaptedto operatively engage the locking device for moving it into lockingposition.

6. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of strip-advancingmechanism, a part adapted to rotate with said mechanism, equally spacedstops on said rotating part, a sliding lock for engaging one or anotherof the stops, actuated mechanism for the strip-advancing mechanism, adevice actuated by the operating mechanism for releasing the lock and aspring for moving the released lock out of locking position, and meansactuated by the operating mechanism for restoring the lock to holdingposition.

7. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of an endlessstrip-advancing chain, supporting Wheels for the chain, a shaft on whichone of the wheels is loosely mounted, a ratchet carried by said wheel, apawl rotatable with the shaft and adapted to operatively engage theratchet, and means for rotating the pawl carrying shaft in reversedirections.

8. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of an endlessstrip-advancing chain, chain supporting wheels, equally spaced stopsprojecting from one of the wheels, a lock for engaging one or another ofthe stops, means for rotating the stop carrying wheel, a handleoperatively connected to said wheel, and means operated by the handlefor moving the lock into and out of locking position.

9. In a, ticket dispensing machine, the combination of a strip advancingmecha nism, chain supporting wheels, a stop projecting from one of thewheels, a lock for en-. gaging the stop, means for rotating the stopcarrying wheel, a handle operatively connected to said wheel, and meansoperated by the handle for moving the lock into and out of lockingposition.

10. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of an endlessstrip-advancing chain, chain supporting wheels, an actuating shaft forone of the wheels, ratchet mechanism operatively connecting said shaftand wheel, an operating shaft geared to the wheel actuating shaft, a camrotatable with the operating shaft, a pivoted spring pressed arm adaptedto be depressed by the cam, stops on the chain actuating wheel, a lockadapted to engage one or another of the stops, a spring for moving thelook from holding position, the lock adapted to be maintained in holdingposition by said pivoted arm before the latter is depressed by the cam,and means actuated by the operating shaft for moving the look into wheelholding position in which position it is held by the said pivoted armwhen the latter returns to normal position.

11. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of a strip advancingmechanism, chain supporting Wheels, a stop projecting from one of thewheels, a lock for engaging the stop, means for rotating the stopcarrying wheel, a handle operatively connected to said wheel, meansoperated by the handle for moving the look into and out of lockingposition, a cutter, means for holding the cutter depressed, and meansoperated by the handle for releasing the cutter.

12. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of endlessstrip-advancing mechanism, an operating shaft movable idly from startingposition, means operatively connecting said shaft and strip-advancingmechanism for actuating the latter during the return movement of theoperating shaft, 7 5 a spring impelled cutter normally project ingacross the path of the strip, means actuated by the operating shaftduring its forward movement for retracting the cutter, means for holdingthe cutter retracted, and means actuated by the operating shaft as itcompletes its return movement for releasing the cutter.

13. In a ticket dispensing machine, the combination of endless parallelstrip-advancing chains, supporting wheels for the chains, a shaft onwhich the corresponding wheels of the chains are rotatable, meansmovable on the shaft between said wheels for operatively connectingeither wheel to the shaft, and shaft actuating means.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK MAGIDSON.

Witnesses J. M. NEsBrr, F. E. GAITHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

